Imperial Cultivation

Chu Zhiyuan sized her up.

A massive sword, shimmering faintly, hovered above her head, as if submerged in a deep pool.

Li Hongzhao's phoenix eyes flashed, intently fixed on him.

Chu Zhiyuan chuckled: "You actually know, no need for me to elaborate."

A hint of helplessness appeared on Li Hongzhao's beautiful face.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Feeling like you can't hold on anymore? This doesn't seem like you, Your Highness."

Li Hongzhao was an incredibly proud person, with a tenacious will, able to persevere even after repeated setbacks from him.

This stemmed from the undying will of the phoenix bloodline, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Yet, even such a resilient person revealed a sense of dejection and helplessness, indicating the immense pressure she was under.

It seemed the pressure she faced was greater than he had imagined.

He couldn't help but ask with curiosity: "Could it be that everyone is opposing you?"

"Pretty much," Li Hongzhao nodded lightly: "Besieged on all sides, the whole world is my enemy."

"At least the Phoenix Sword Sect supports you, right?" Chu Zhiyuan said: "The other sects should also be on your side, shouldn't they?"

"They're useless," Li Hongzhao shook her head: "They have no say in the court."

"Martial arts sects should be able to influence the military, right?"

"Martial arts sect experts account for a very small proportion in the military."

"The military opposes you, the court opposes you—"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "That's really miserable enough."

Li Hongzhao shook her head: "There's no way around it, it's just a mess."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "If it weren't a mess, it probably wouldn't be your turn."

"...That's true," Li Hongzhao was speechless, nodding in agreement.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "As for the Son of Heaven Sword—"

"The Son of Heaven Sword is of great importance, it cannot be activated unless absolutely necessary," Li Hongzhao said: "Don't think about the Son of Heaven Sword."

"These things can't stump you, right?" Chu Zhiyuan said casually.

He had already realized something.

Li Hongzhao telling him all this probably wasn't to get him to help with ideas.

She wasn't that weak at all.

Li Hongzhao sighed: "From top to bottom, it's a monolithic iron plate, there's no way, I can only let them fight among themselves."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow: "Stirring them up to kill each other?"

"I want to establish a separate camp, modeled after your Phoenix Camp, as the Son of Heaven's personal guard."

"Letting them compete for spots?" Chu Zhiyuan said: "But they might not give you that face, right?"

"Then it's not up to them," Li Hongzhao said calmly: "Named the Divine Dragon Camp, extremely high benefits, extremely high standards, limitless future."

Chu Zhiyuan was thoughtful.

Li Hongzhao said: "I can't command them, but building my own camp is still not a problem, these guys all have their own factions, their own calculations."

"Your Highness is wise," Chu Zhiyuan said: "Then the Divine Dragon Camp is already formed?"

"Not completely built yet, preparing to make all the soldiers grandmasters," Li Hongzhao said calmly: "Matching your Phoenix Camp."

"If it's grandmasters—" Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "I'm afraid it won't be that easy, right?"

Grandmasters were pillars everywhere, top-tier strength in any camp.

Even if the emperor ordered the conscription of grandmasters, the various armies below would not willingly let people go.

They would definitely try to resist, let alone her, the female emperor.

Li Hongzhao snorted softly: "This is a calculated scheme, they are reluctant to let people go, but are those grandmaster experts willing to stay? Who wouldn't want to enter the Divine Dragon Camp?"

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "It's probably still very difficult, this is to make them preoccupied, right?"

Li Hongzhao's purpose probably wasn't really to establish this Divine Dragon Camp.

Nor was it to make the various camps in the army fight each other, but to make them feel insecure, lack confidence, and unable to join forces.

This move was to turn defense into offense, seeking to attack before defending.

From them wanting to find trouble for Li Hongzhao, it turned into them fearing that Li Hongzhao would find trouble for them.

"Worthy of you," Li Hongzhao chuckled, her phoenix eyes sparkling: "Is my method alright?"

"Admirable," Chu Zhiyuan said: "After ascending the throne, Your Highness's methods have improved, it seems there's a master assisting you."

Li Hongzhao waved her jade hand dismissively: "Just figuring it out myself, I was forced to, there was no other way."

Her smile was radiant and charming, revealing an air of pride.

"Haha—" Chu Zhiyuan chuckled, shaking his head: "This is showing off, ah, Your Highness has become the emperor,

and your heart is still the same as before, you must take revenge?"

Going around in a big circle, saying all this, seemingly complaining but actually showing off.

"If it were you, what would you do?" Li Hongzhao snorted: "Would you show off?"

"...Yes," Chu Zhiyuan said: "I would definitely can't wait to come to Your Highness and show off properly, Your Highness has endured for so long, it must have been difficult, right?"

"That's right, I've finally waited for you!" Li Hongzhao laughed gleefully.

The laughter spread far in the woods.

Chu Zhiyuan looked helpless.

He knew she would come to this.

After the giggling stopped, Chu Zhiyuan spoke: "It seems Your Highness isn't worried about your position at all."

Li Hongzhao snorted triumphantly: "No matter how much they jump around, they can't do anything to me."

With the Son of Heaven Sword in hand, that was what the people wanted, and others wouldn't dare to mess around.

No matter how displeased they were with her, it was impossible to overthrow her.

If they couldn't overthrow her, then they had to listen to her.

Paying lip service and acting against her once or twice was fine, but if it happened too many times, it would naturally provoke backlash.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Great Meng is currently unable to start a war."

"That's not necessarily true," Li Hongzhao snorted: "If I set up a reward, with a heavy reward, there will definitely be brave men."

"Even if the Great Meng army wins, it won't benefit Your Highness much," Chu Zhiyuan said: "The people will attribute the credit to the military, not you."

"Great Zhen and we are about to finish negotiations," Li Hongzhao said: "Your reaction is too slow."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Great Zhen won't agree to join forces with you to deal with us."

"Then you're wrong," Li Hongzhao snorted: "Great Zhen happens to want to deal with you, they are most wary of you."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Great Zhen's goal is to prevent you from joining forces with us to deal with them, not to join forces with you to deal with us."

Li Hongzhao snorted: "Our alliance is about to be completed through negotiations."

She had to admit that Chu Zhiyuan saw it very accurately.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Do you think Great Zhen will abide by the alliance?"

"Since it's been decided, they will naturally comply."

"Too naive," Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "Great Zhen only wants to stabilize Great Meng, once the situation is unfavorable, they will directly tear up the alliance, going back and forth, that has always been Great Zhen's style."

Li Hongzhao frowned slightly.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "As the emperor, you can check Great Zhen's compliance history throughout the ages, and you can also see our Great Jing's compliance history, once you compare them, you'll know how to choose."

"Your Great Jing seems to often break treaties too, six of one and half a dozen of the other."

Chu Zhiyuan said solemnly: "On the contrary, we are always the ones whose conditions are torn up."

Li Hongzhao smiled noncommittally.

She had obviously seen this kind of information.

It looked like Great Jing and Great Zhen were about the same, both prone to breaking agreements.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "We are always the ones who are forced, Great Zhen is the one who takes the initiative."